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Episode 668: The No-Strikeout Streak, The Double DH, and the Overgrown Infield
Date May 1, 2015 Summary Ben and Sam answer listener emails about DH alternatives, baseball without the grounds crew, the most exciting starters, and more. Topics * Having a DH for any position player * The most exciting & memorable pitching starts * No-strikeout streaks * Baseball without grounds crews * Watching a stolen base record chase Intro Steppenwolf, "Don't Step on the Grass, Sam" Outro Episode outtake sound clip Banter * Sonoma Stompers opening day is one month away. * Sam is excited about the Play Index segment and says it is one of his favorites. Email Questions * Greg (Los Angeles, CA): "I was thinking about the eventual demise of having pitchers bat and was wondering what it would look like in the other direction. What if any and all position players could be DH'd? If one assumes five starters and eight required position players that leaves a dozen roster spots open for relief pitchers or DHs. How many of each do you carry? Do you still need regular bench players to spell injured or tired players or for lefty/righty matchups? Are deep bench guys a thing of the past? It would vary from team to team but reasonably what's the hugest or lowest number of DHs that would start?" * Francis (New York, NY): "The discussion of eponymous pitcher 'days' seems to have exploded this season. I don't know if I've just been spending more time on the internet but I see it all over the place. Happy Strasburg Day! It's King Felix Day! Can't wait till we finally reach the next Fernandez Day. The popularity of naming days after starting pitchers got me thinking about which pitcher's typical day was the most incredible in history. In what pitcher season did the average start produce the most excitement and buzz? Which pitcher day would you be most excited to go back in time to experience?" * Wes: "If grounds crews were outlawed today and no maintenance whatsoever was allowed, how quickly would the game become unrecognizable? It probably wouldn't be noticeable for a few months since they're starting from perfection, but in two years every ground ball would take a bad hop and the outfield would be like running in a jungle. What would be the biggest gameplay and strategic changes? What would league ERA be? This could be a fix for down offense." * Mike (St. Louis, MO): "We all watched the McGwire/Sosa home run race for the record in 1998. Would we be super interested in watching Billy Hamilton and Dee Gordon making a run at the single season stolen base record? Would ESPN cut-in every time they were on base and have to stay with the for the entire time they were on 1st or 2nd?" Play Index * Sam looks up streaks by pitchers without strikeouts, based on the fact that Tanner Roark has not struck out any of the 51 batters he has faced this season. * Since 2000, to start the season, no starter has ended a game with a strikeout-less streak as long as Tanner Roark's. * The longest ever strikeout-less streak to start a season was in 1927 by Ted Wingfield. He pitched 66 2/3 innings to start the season without getting a strikeout. That year in 74 2/3 innings he only struck out one batter. Notes * Sam thinks that most of the best hitters are already MLB position players or DHs, and that there are not many AA or AAA players that would get a roster spot if unlimited DH spots were allowed. * Ben and Sam discuss how quickly they transitioned into 'scout mode' at the Stompers tryout because they did not have data available on each player. * Sam says he would want to see Nolan Ryan in 1973 or 1991. * Ben reminisces about the former fantasy sports game 'Smallworld' where players could be bought/sold similar to stocks. Sam remembers being active on the Hollywood Stock Exchange. Sam asks, "Ben you work at Grantland and you haven't done an oral history on this?" * Sam thinks that BABIP would be .820 with a tall grass field. * Ryan Webb was signed by the Indians. Links * Effectively Wild Episode 668: The No-Strikeout Streak, The Double DH, and the Overgrown Infield * How Incredible Were These Pitchers' Days? by How Blank Category:Episodes Category:Email Episodes